Taggants, method for forming a taggant, and a method for detecting an object

US8124414B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC · US

Inventors

• Mason K. Harrup · Idaho Falls, US
• Frederick F. Stewart · Idaho Falls, US
• Mark L. Stone · Idaho Falls, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 5, 2009
• Grant date: Feb 28, 2012
• Expiry date: May 13, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/13
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A taggant comprising at least one perfluorocarbon compound surrounded by a polyphosphazene compound. The polyphosphazene compound has the chemical structure:wherein G1 and G2 are pendant groups having different polarities, m is an integer greater than or equal to 100, and each of A and B is independently selected from hydrogen, an alkyl, an alkene, an alkoxide, a polyether, a polythioether, a siloxane, and —X(CH2)nY1(CH2)p1Y2(CH2)p2 . . . Yi(CH2)piCH3, where n ranges from 1 to 6, X and Y are independently selected from oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and polonium, and p1 through pi range from 1 to 6. Cyclic polyphosphazene compounds lacking the A and B groups are also disclosed, as are methods of forming the taggant and of detecting an object.